Swimming and underwater viewing apparatus



March I, 1960 K. H. WILCOXON SWIMMING AND UNDERWATER VIEWING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 2, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR KENhETH H. WILGOXON v lmw4gzy ATTORNEY March 1, 1960 K. H. wlLcdxoN 2,926,365

snmumc Ann UNDERWATER vmwms APPARATUS Filed Sept. 2, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i i 00 q 1 k I 9 "2 I @*\\Q/ l g Q r; (9 Q l I 'I O v l u. E 1 v 1% g I (L l i i 10 Lo 77 1: A l INVENTOR f f KENNETH H. WILCOXON f\ BY +m.-.z;e

% ATTORNEY United States Patent 6 SWMMING AND UNDERWATER VIEWING APPARATUS Kenneth H. Wilcoxon, Bethesda, Md., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of v This invention relates to a pedal propelled and under water viewing apparatus.

Various apparatuses have been developed to see under water and to assist swimmers in pedaling their way through water, but these prior developments have had various disadvantages. For example, some have been cumbersome and while others have not been adaptable for individuals of different heights.

It is an object of this invention to provide a pedal propelled swimming apparatus which is readily adjustable to persons of different heights.

Another object is to provide a compact, collapsible, readilly transportable, pedal-propelled swimming apparatus.

Another object is to provide an underwater viewing apparatus which is of simple design and reliable in operation to give a clear underwater view.

A further object is to provide an apparatus for propelling an individualthrough water which will have a configuration which permits it to be packaged into a compact bundle for shipment and transportation.

Another object is to provide a device with a viewing window which will afford the user to obtain a clear underwater view.

Another object is to provide an underwater viewingdevice suitable for mounting in a pedal-propelled swimming apparatus. 7

A further object is to provide an underwater viewing window which will permit the air to be automatically exhausted from beneath the window whenthe window is submerged in the water.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description of the particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention progresses. In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, like characters of reference have been applied to corresponding parts throughout the several views which make up the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the water propulsion and underwater viewing apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation, taken on line 3-32 of 'Fig. 2, illustrating the clamping mechanism for adjusting the length of the water apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a detailed side elevation of the length adjust- 1 ing members with clamp plate and nut removed.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the underwater viewing chamber.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 7 is a detailed plan view, partly in section, illustrating the air escape valve.

' Fig. 8 is a sectional side elevation of the same.

My underwater viewing apparatus may be effectively utilized by itself or may 'be used in combination with a pontoon. The pontoon in turn may be a component of a water swimming device.

For purposes of illustrating the invention I have shown how my underwater viewing apparatus may be effectively 2,926,365 Patented Mar. 1, 1960 employed with a pedal-propelled swimming device consisting of two flat pontoons 10 and 12 which are mounted in transverse planes with respect to one another. The pontoons 10 and 12 may be made of any suitable lighterthan-water material such as balso wood or expanded polystyrene, and may be covered with a suitable covering material such as a water-proof paint, plastic, or canvas.

The forward pontoon 10 is mounted to float horizontally with respect to the surface of the water, while the rear pontoon 12 is mounted to extend vertically with respect to the surface of-the water. The forward pontoon has a pair of pipe brackets 14 and 16 extending therefrom on which is mounted a hand-operated tightening knob 18 which is threaded on a screw 20 supported in a suitable bracket 22 mounted between the bracket arms 14 and 16. The knob 18 in being tightened presses downwardly upon the clamping plate 24 which in turn engages with the rods 26 and 28. t e

Rods 26 and 28 extend from the rear pontoon 12 into the pipes 14 and 16. By loosening the knob 18 the pontoons 10 and 12 may be moved towards or away from one another, and when the knob 18 is tightened the pontoons 10 and 12 are fixed in right angle planes with respect to each other. A chain 30 is provided for preventing the pontoons 10 and 12 from becoming disengaged with respect to their telescoping rod sleeves 14, 16, 26 and 28 when the swimmer is in the water, if' the knob 18 should inadvertently become loosened when the apparatus is in use.

The chain 30 is detach-ably secured at one end so that when the knob is loosened it is possible to completely disengage the pontoons to be compactly stored together in side-by-side relationship. This enables the apparatus to be readily placed in the trunk of an automobile or shipped to the user or supplier.

A pedal operated crank 32 is mounted on the under side of the rear pontoon 12 in -a downwardly extending bracket framework 34. Suitable bracing members 36 and 38 are provided for holding the framework 34 rigid. When the pedal operated crank 32 is rotated, it rotates the propeller driven shaft 40 in shaft support housing 42. Suitable means, such as beveled gears, may beemployed for interconnecting the pedal driven shaft operated by crank 32 to the shaft 40. When the shaft 40 is rotated, it causes the propeller 44 to revolve, thus causing the swimming aid to be moved through the water. A wheel 46 is mounted at the lower end of the downwardly extending bracket which prevents the user from breaking his propeller blade when he strikes bottom. I

My underwater viewing apparatus is mounted in the forward pontoon 10. This apparatus consists of a window 48 mounted in the top side of the pontoon covering a tapered opening 50 which extends through to the under side of the pontoon. The lower portion of the opening 50 may be partially covered by -a transparent member 52 such as Plexiglas or other suitable material to assist in preventing air from entering the chamber 50.

While the upper end of opening 50 is completely covered by the window 48, the lower opening only has the forward end completely covered by Plexiglas 52. The rear end has an opening 54 which permits water to move into the chamber 50 and also provides an escape for the water from the chamber 50 when the apparatus is lifted out of the water.

In order to permit air to escape from the chamber 50 when the pontoon is placed in the water, a one-way valve 7 58 is connected to the upper end of chamber 50. The

valve can be mounted in any convenient location to holes 60 formed in the Plexiglas window 48. Spaced from the Plexiglas plate and secured thereto is a cover plate 62- having a'hole 64 formed in the center part thereof.

When water rushes in through the opening 54 it forces air out through the openings 60 and out through side openings 66 and top opening 64 by pushing a rubber diaphragm 68 away from the openings 60. When the viewing apparatus is partially lifted out of the water so that the upper portion of the water in the chamber 50 is elevated above the surrounding surface of water, air will immediately commence rushing into the opening 64'. This, in turn, pushes the rubber diaphragm 68 downwardly, thus closing the port holes 60 and preventing air from getting into the chamber 50.

When the swimming apparatus is in use, especially in choppy water 'or where a swimmer makes a sharp turn, there is a possibility that the water inside the chamber will be elevated higher than the surrounding body of water. Each time this occurs the rubber diaphragm 68 automatically closes the port holes and prevents air from entering the chamber 66 in the manner just described.

'At all times, therefore, the underwater viewing window is maintained filled with water so that an unobstructed view of the underwater area is maintained to enable the viewer to look under water. By removingall the air from under the Plexiglas window 48 and by mounting the one way valve 58 at the forward end of'theappara tus,-th'e last bubble of air is removed through the valve and a clear, unobstructed viewing windowis automatically provided and maintained.

Since it would be quite heavy to carry the underwater swimming apparatus with the opening 50 filled with water, an opening 54 has been provided which permits not 'only the quick entrance of water into the chamber 50 but also permits the water to be quickly removed therefrom when the swimming apparatus is removed from the water.

-By-"in'ounting the lower Plexiglas 52 window at the forward end of the chamber 50 as shown in Figs. 2 and "readily storable and transportable.

By providing an underwater viewing Window of the nature described it is possible to give the viewera clear view of what lies beneath him. Also, by the particular structural arrangement of the Plexiglass windows and the one-way arrangement of the air'release valve 'it is possible to maintain the viewing area "completely"filled with water, even though the user occasionally lifts the underwater viewing window partly out of the water. It will thus be apparent that I have provided-a device which has greatly increased the utility of apparatuses-of the type which I have described.

As'indicated above, the underwater'viewing' apparatus I have described has many applicatiohs 'and' should :not berestrict'edto the particular pedal-propelleddevice I have'shown. It could be used with a single'pontoon or even with other types of boats or apparatuseswhere there is a possibility that the bottom of the window will occasionally be lifted out of the water. It should also be noted that the removal of air from the chamber is greatly simplified by the one-way exit valve, and there is --no condensation problem because the chamber 50 is completely filled'with water.

The invention hereinabove described-may bevaried in construction within the scope of-the' claims, for the particular device selected to illustrate the inventionis but one of many possible embodiments of the same. The

invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. An underwater viewing apparatus comprising a hollow chamber, a transparent window mounted across one end of said hollow chamber, a second transparent Window mounted across the other end of said hollow chamber, means provided in said second window for allowing water to enter-into said hollow chamber, and a one-way valve mounted in said first transparent window to allow air to escape from said hollow chamber when water enters therein.

2. An' underwater viewing devicecomprising a float having a hollow opening formed therein, a transparent viewing window sealing the top side of said hollow opening, and a one-way exit valve mounted in said transparent viewing window for allowing air to escape from said hollow opening when said float is pushed under water.

3. An underwater viewing device comprising a float having a hollow opening formed therethrough, a transparent viewing window mounted on the upper side of said float, and a one way valve mounted in said window for releasing air from said hollow chamber when said float is placed in the water.

4. An underwater viewing device comprising a float having a hollow opening formed therethrough, a transan exit valve mounted in said window having air holes through which air in said hollow chamber can escape when said float is placed in the water, and a diaphragm positioned above said holes to lock said holes if water or -air commence traveling in the reverse direction.

6. An underwater viewing device comprising a float having a hollow opening formed therethrough, a viewing window mounted across the upper end of said hollow opening and forming a water and air tight seal at the edges of said float, and a one-way valve mounted at the upper end of said hollow opening for automatically releasing air from said hollow opening.

7. An underwater viewing device comprising a float having a hollow opening formed therethrough, a viewing window mounted across the upper end of said hollow opening and forming a water and air tight seal at the edges of said float, a one-way valve mounted at the upper end of said hollow opening for automatically releasing air from said hollow opening, and a transparent viewing member mounted across the greater part of said lower opening to prevent air from entering said opening if the float should inadvertently be tilted so that part of the transparent viewing member-goes abovethe surface of the water.

8. -A 'combined float'and underwater viewing apparatus comprising a float adapted to rideon the water, a hole formed in said float, a transparent window mounted on allow the user to see under water.

9. -A swimming and underwater viewing device comprising a float having a hole formed therein, a transparent viewing window covering the top of said hole, a

one way valve mounted in said transparent window for allowing air to escape from inside of said hole when References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Scott July 9, 1912 Teters Aug. 26, 1913 10 6 Stiles July 6, 1926 Weinreich July 3, 1928 Knight Mar. 30, 1937 Horton July 3, 1945 Kelly July 5, 1955 Backhouse Sept. 13, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS France Sept. 20, 1943 France May 5, 1952 

